Chapter 53

The father and son stopped discussing the topic. Ji Yan felt that he was indeed getting old and couldn't keep up with the pace of the younger generation. He was just worried that if his children made a mistake, they would be doomed. But obviously, his children had their own ideas.

Ji Yan's sharp eyes seemed to see right through his eldest son, and his voice was stern: "Do you know what you're saying?"

Ji Fang stared intently at his father, equally unwilling to back down: "Of course I know."

After a long silence, the father and son fell into a deep silence. Ji Yan paced back and forth in the room, leaning on his cane, his face somber and his emotions unreadable.

Finally, the father sighed, "Alas, I am old now, and you don't need to help me anymore..."

Ji Fang didn't speak, not because he didn't want to, but because he wasn't good at such emotional topics. In all these years, this was probably the first time his father had shown such an expression and said such things in front of him.

Fortunately, Ji Yan's expression changed quickly, as if the previous distress had never existed. He changed the subject and asked, "I heard you were injured? What did the doctor say?"

Ji Fang gently turned his neck, where there was only a faint mark, and said, "It's alright, no one can take my life yet."

Ji Yan glanced at Ji Fang without showing any emotion, and felt that his mental strength had stabilized a lot, not as serious as his subordinates had said, so he couldn't help but feel relieved.

His gaze inadvertently fell on Qiao Ye, and he said, "Is this the little thing you couldn't wait to bring back from Ji Feng as soon as you got back?"

Ji Fang hummed in agreement and said, "I found him, and we grew attached to him over time. He's very smart."

Ji Yan slammed the teacup lid shut and snorted, "You're starting to get like that kid Wei Liangguan, wasting your time on frivolous things! Leading troops into battle with this kind of thing, what kind of nonsense is that! If the men below see you playing around with your pets, they'll all copy you, how are we supposed to fight then! You might as well go home and hug your wife and kids!"

Qiao also felt like a slacker who dragged his academically gifted friend to play games every day, and now his friendship was being crushed by the academically gifted friend's parents.

He hid behind Ji Fang, as if that would hide him from Ji Yan.

Ji Fang knew his father's temperament well; he would definitely scold him if he saw him raising Yuanren. But hiding it wasn't a good idea, so he decided to be open about it.

Moreover, Joe wasn't an ordinary primitive; he was a special primitive capable of communication. Gradually, Joe realized that he was no different from a human, and that Joe could always stay by his side.

Ji Yan knew that no matter what he said, his eldest son, who had grown too powerful, would not listen to him. He frowned, raised his eyebrows and looked at Qiao Ye with disdain. He picked up his cane and prepared to leave, but he lost his grip on the cane and it fell to the ground, landing at Qiao Ye's feet.

For a moment, the emotions surging between the father and son seemed to pause. Without thinking, Qiao bent down to pick up the cane, looked at Ji Fang, then at Ji Yan, and carefully walked over to hand the cane to Ji Yan with both hands.

Ji Yan gave Qiao Ye a meaningful look, then slowly picked up his cane again and said in a sarcastic tone, "Your pet is actually quite useful. No wonder people often say that raising a dog is less troublesome than raising a child!"

Ji Yan reached out and patted Qiao Ye's head, his eyes serious. Then he patted Qiao Ye's shoulder and said, "You're quite clever!"

Qiao hurriedly ran back to Ji Fang's side. He felt very embarrassed, as if he had been used as a vehicle to indirectly criticize Ji Fang.

Fortunately, Ji Fang didn't care what his father said. He picked up Qiao Ye and even praised her, saying, "You're quite bold and know how to handle things."

Qiao also sent a message to Ji Fang:

Does your dad hate me?

He wouldn't have sold me out while you were away, would he?

Master, you'd better keep a close eye on me.

To increase the credibility of his worst-case scenario, he found several news stories about pets being abandoned or eaten by their parents.

Ji Fang smiled slightly: "No, he likes you very much."

like?

Joe didn't realize at all that this way of expressing affection was far too subtle!

Ji Fang felt that his pet was becoming increasingly preoccupied. Was it because he was spending less time with it, and therefore it felt insecure?

He reassured Qiao Ye, saying, "From now on, wherever Master goes, he'll take you with him! He won't let you get sold off."

Qiao's eyes lit up with joy at Ji Fang's promise. He childishly texted Ji Fang: "Let's pinky swear, you have to keep your word!"

Ji Fang extended his long little finger, coaxing a child like a sweetheart: "Okay, pinky promise, you'll keep your word!"

At noon, Ji Fang and Ji Yan ate together. Qiao Ye did not join them at the table this time, after all, she had to consider the feelings of the elderly.

Joe tactfully sat on the sofa, not wanting to disturb their meal.

But they were eating so deliciously that Qiao couldn't help but keep glancing at the table, and her eyes met Ji Yan's several times.

When their eyes met again, Ji Yan beckoned to him: "Come here, come to me."

Joe felt a little embarrassed. Did they call him over because they knew he wanted food and wanted to feed him? That's really not what he meant…

Ji Yan had the butler bring over another plate and placed a large pork knuckle on Qiao Ye's plate. "Here, eat up."

Qiao was somewhat flattered. He looked up at Ji Fang, and Ji Yan patted his head: "Why are you looking at him? Don't pay him any attention. What do you want to eat? I'll get it for you."

Qiao also looked at Ji Yan and noticed that Ji Yan's hair was thinning and dull, and the wrinkles around his eyes showed the signs of aging and loneliness, just like any father who cares about his children.

Ji Yan is trying to be nice to his son's pet in order to ease the tension between father and son.

After realizing this, Qiao stood next to Ji Yan and picked up the fork next to her to eat the food that Ji Yan fed her.

Joe eats very politely, without making a mess or contaminating his owner's food.

Ji Yan was very satisfied to see Qiao eating obediently. He nodded and said, "You even know how to use a fork. You're really smart. Your master has taught you well. You're such a good girl. Come on, let's eat something else that's delicious."

Qiao Ye's well-behaved and intelligent nature quickly won Ji Yan's favor. Before long, he even held Qiao Ye in his arms and went to the trouble of peeling a seafood shell for her.

Ji Fang looked at his father with some strangeness. Even Ji Feng had never received the treatment of his father peeling his shell and feeding him. Wasn't his father always disliked the Yuan people?

Ji Yan glanced at Ji Fang and said unhappily, "What are you looking at? He's much more well-behaved than you guys. Unlike you, none of you give me a moment's peace..."

Qiao and Ji Fang exchanged a glance, then lowered their heads as if nothing had happened, burying themselves in the delicious dishes that Ji Yan had piled up like a small mountain on their plates.

The arrival of Qiao Ye disrupted the long-standing rule of quiet meals at the Ji family's dinner table.

When it was time for Ji Fang to leave, Qiao also took Ji Yan's hand to express his reluctance to part. Ji Yan picked him up and patted his head somewhat awkwardly, which could be considered a form of affection.

On the way back, Ji Fang held Qiao Ye firmly in his arms and deliberately said, "Still reluctant to part with him? Aren't you afraid he'll sell you off now?"

Qiao also smiled and pinched Ji Fang's ear playfully. Ji Fang kept dodging and scolded, "Don't make trouble, or I'll spank you!"

Qiao wasn't afraid. Even if he didn't cause trouble, Ji Fang always liked to pat his butt. He didn't know how he developed this bad habit. When he had the chance, he would definitely pat his butt back. He couldn't keep suffering losses.

——

Ji Fang returned this time with physical injuries, and doctors came to diagnose him multiple times. Qiao also knew that Ji Fang's mental state was still very unstable.

Qiao also understood that he could relieve Ji Fang's mental stress, so he always snuggled in Ji Fang's arms and let Ji Fang hold him wherever they went.

Ji Fang seemed exasperated by Qiao Ye's excessive clinginess, and even a little worried about Qiao Ye's mental state: "What's wrong? Why are you being so clingy now that I'm back? I won't leave you behind in the future."

Joe replied irritably via text message: "Didn't you say that smelling me relieves your stress? I just want you to recover faster!"

Ji Fang was very pleased to see Qiao Ye's answer. He picked him up, pressed his forehead against Qiao Ye's forehead, and moved him around affectionately. He kissed his cheek and buried his head in Qiao Ye's soft belly like a cat.

Qiao blushed instantly, cupping Ji Fang's head in her hands and pushing him away: "Ahhh, mind your image as a general! Don't be a scoundrel!"

Ji Fang squeezed Qiao Ye's paw, finding it somewhat strange that a pet would have such thoughts. He said, "What do you mean by being a hooligan? You should be aware of your status as a pet. This is how your owner plays with you."

When Qiao heard this, she blushed for a moment. What did she mean by "being played with like this by the master"? Although they had a master-pet relationship, it was really strange to say it like that!

After a long pause, Qiao finally managed to say, "When you do this, it makes me very itchy. Don't do this."

Ji Fang was in a foul mood, so he deliberately touched this place and that place: "Where does it itch? Here? Or here?"

Joe was too weak to break free. He was tickled and burst into laughter.

Ji Fang was very good at finding Qiao Ye's weaknesses. The Cohen people were huge compared to the original humans, and Qiao Ye was like a little doll that could be squeezed and kneaded in his hands. Ji Fang only stopped when Qiao Ye laughed so hard that he couldn't catch his breath and started to speak and beg for mercy.

Qiao also returned to living with his master. He felt extremely relaxed. Every day when Ji Fang was working, he would snuggle in Ji Fang's arms, eat snacks, and surf the internet.

When Ji Fang is thinking about work, he will subconsciously pinch Qiao Ye's little hand, pinch Qiao Ye's cheek and ears, or pat him. The two of them get along very well.

A few days later, Qiao also discovered that the variety show "Let's Go Traveling" had started airing, and Qiao also started paying attention to it since she had nothing else to do.

After all, it was a program he participated in with Ji Feng, so he still felt a sense of involvement.

In the early part of the show's recording, Qiao Ye naturally didn't have much screen time. However, due to Qiao Ye's previous acts of bravery and the show's extensive promotion using the original Qiao Ye as a gimmick, Qiao Ye has accumulated a considerable number of fans.

Some people even watched the show specifically because of the original Joe.

On the terminal, the holographic bullet screen was densely packed, and Joe almost suffered from trypophobia. He quickly blocked out some of it.

Many of Ji Feng's fans were already screaming in the live chat:

"Ah, Brother Feng is so handsome! His original self was so aloof!"

"I came to see the adorable Yuan Yuan, but why do I feel like it's forced to operate?"

"I can see the director really likes the original human. Our Joe is so cute, he knows how to use his charm to get more screen time for his owner."

"Pshaw, everyone knows Director Qian Yunshan likes Yuan Ren. I think Ji Feng has ulterior motives and deliberately brought Yuan Ren here."

"None of the other guests brought pets, but he did. I don't believe he wasn't scheming!"

"This person isn't even his original self; he might have deliberately borrowed it from a friend to increase his popularity."

"I've never even heard of Ji Feng, he's just a nobody. Who got in through connections? Is he some sugar daddy? My brother is so outstanding, and he was rejected!"

There were many negative comments about Ji Feng in the live chat, which made Qiao frown. Was someone hiring online trolls to deliberately stir up trouble? He was annoyed and joined the fray, posting his own comments to criticize Ji Feng.

Yes, all the other guests participating in the project thought the same way, so when they saw Ji Feng bring Yuanren, they all cleverly brought their own pets with them.

[How could anyone get into this show without connections? Everyone has connections. Are you just jealous and envious? Tell your brother to find some really powerful connections.]

Yes, Ji Feng has a sugar daddy now. Tell your brother to be more ambitious and try to find a big sugar daddy too.

Qiao was in high spirits today and was very combative when he argued with people. He would start to sarcasticly retort when he saw something that didn't suit him. He didn't watch much of the program content and just watched the comments.

To watch the entire show, Qiao even subscribed to a membership himself. Now that he has money, he's a VIP user.

This show truly lives up to its reputation as a heavyweight program, attracting a huge audience and frequently trending on the entertainment section of the platform. All the guests who participated in the show gained more followers, and Ji Feng's fan base also experienced a significant surge.

Qiao was engrossed in watching the program. Ji Fang called him several times, but Qiao only gave perfunctory responses, so much so that he didn't even notice Ji Fang's mental power invading his terminal.

Qiao Ye's terminal was originally a semi-terminal of Ji Fang's, so it was easy for Ji Fang to get in. He was just curious about what his little Yuan Ren was watching online, and why he was so engrossed in it.

Then I saw that Qiao was also watching the show, and it happened to be a clip of Qiao learning to dance. The screen was flooded with comments:

"Oh my god, the original human is so cute when he dances! Hahaha, I saw my sister Zixuan's surprised dance moves and they all went wrong."

"If I send my family members there for training, will they be able to learn?"

"We should really train my Feifei more. Poor child, all she can do is act, not dance."

"I don't believe that real humans could be this intelligent; this must be a virtual effect created by the production team."

"Hahahaha, Ji Feng posted an update saying that the teacher's two-hour dance class was worth 100,000 yuan, and Qiao must have earned at least 95,000 yuan. She made a profit!"

"That's really 95,000 lessons learned, hahaha!"

Ji Fang nuzzled Qiao Ye's fluffy head with his chin and said with interest, "You've learned to dance? Come on, show me a dance."

Qiao tilted her head, causing Ji Fang's chin to lose its support, and mumbled a reply: "No."

Ji Fang straightened his head and rubbed his cheeks with both hands: "I've never seen a primitive person dance before. Be good, perform one."

Qiao also pried Ji Fang's hands off and texted him: "So what kind of reward are you going to give me?"

Ji Fang's eyes widened slightly, a broad smile spreading across his face. "Still want some tips? You're quite the little money-grubber? Let me see how much money you have left... Oh, you even have income from live streaming?"

"Hmm? There are also expenses..."

Qiao was also a little nervous. Would Ji Fang think he was spending money and take it back? There was still some money in his wallet that he had earned from live streaming. Would it all be confiscated?

Ji Fang opened Qiao Ye's account, then looked through his pet's spending records. He looked up and saw Xiao Yuanren's nervous expression, and couldn't help but chuckle: "What, afraid I'll take your money? I was wondering what you needed the money for... Oh, it's for milk tea, kebabs, and roasted sweet potatoes..."

Ji Fang frowned slightly. Would it be alright for the original humans to eat these things?

Qiao also thought Ji Fang was unhappy. Feeling guilty and anxious, she subconsciously didn't want Ji Fang to see her spending records. So she seized control of the terminal and squeezed out Ji Fang's attention.

Ji Fang was genuinely surprised by the sudden disconnection. With his SSS+ level of mental strength, even if he was caught off guard, people with mental strength below S level would have no chance of resisting.

Qiao Ye, unaware of what she had done, gave Ji Fang a big, ingratiating smile and then hugged his neck and shook him. What did it matter if she had to beg and plead for mercy to protect her wallet?

Ji Fang looked at Qiao Ye intently, wanting to confirm once again whether his little pet truly possessed strong mental power, and whether his earlier disconnection was merely an illusion.

Seeing Ji Fang's serious expression and sensing the invasion of Ji Fang's mental energy, Qiao assumed that Ji Fang was going to confiscate his property. He struggled desperately to resist the mental energy, protecting his wallet, and hurriedly tried to appease him with empty promises.

"I'm just doing this as a precaution. Didn't we agree last time that if you need me to support you in the future, I should prepare now? You can't take my money away; once you give it to me, it's mine."

Besides, I earned this money myself. Even if you want to confiscate it, you have to leave me with what I earned.

Qiao resisted for ten seconds, but control of the terminal still fell into Ji Fang's hands.

Ji Fang's lips curled up, and he pressed his forehead against Qiao Ye's, applying slight pressure: "You stingy little thing, your whole story belongs to me, not to mention the money you earn. How about this, you dance that dance on the show, and if you dance well, I'll give you an extra 95,000 yuan as a reward, how about that?"

When Qiao heard him say, "The whole plain is mine," she couldn't help but feel a slight flutter in her heart. But when she heard about the potential reward, she forcibly shifted her focus away from this strange feeling, her eyes brightening: "You said it, you're going to give me a reward, you can't lie to me!"

Joe, seeing the money, immediately jumped to the ground, turned on the dance music on his terminal, adjusted his posture, and began.

A dance performance, 95,000 yuan! This guy is the top spender on the leaderboard!