Chapter 15, Part 15: Oh my god, his kid turned into a giant white radish!

The huge living room was completely silent. Pei Yiyan and Meng Zhiyao sat side by side, as if they had been frozen in place, their expressions blank.

It all started just now.

"Mom and Dad!"

The delicate child's voice made Pei Yiyan's body tremble and his face shake.

The plump, white, bouncy, talking creature on the ground was calling him "Dad."

A photo showing a wide-eyed, visibly shocked expression.

Oh my god, his perfectly healthy daughter has turned into a giant white radish!

Pei Yiyan remained silent, appearing calm and composed, as if even if Mount Tai collapsed before him.

In the midst of a mental breakdown, with a blank stare, did he eat Yunnan mushrooms today?

After an unknown amount of time, Meng Zhi, who was also stunned and deeply shocked, regained her senses and touched her forehead.

No fever.

Was that an illusion?

Her hands, resting on her knees, clenched into fists. Her spirits plummeted; the complications had spread to her brain.

The two of them were suspicious of themselves, but no one suspected Xixi.

The 20-centimeter-long ginseng pattered forward, its long tendrils slapping against the ground, and then boldly extended its thickest tendril from behind:

"Mommy, are you feeling unwell? Here, let me suck on Xixi's whiskers."

"!"

Meng Zhiyao's breath hitched, and her heart involuntarily contracted.

A familiar stinging pain struck, and her vision went black for a moment before a ginseng root as thick as a bubble tea straw was brought to her lips, playfully tapping her nose.

Warm and soft, like a child's hand.

The chest pain disappeared.

As fresh air filled her mouth and nose, Meng Zhiyao gasped for breath, utterly astonished, her hand slipping out of her pocket as she reached for the medicine bottle.

"Mom, suck it in!"

The little ginseng, which looked like a big white radish, urged her on in a crisp voice. When she was unmoved, he demonstrated it himself: "Just like this, pinch Xixi's little whiskers and smell them. All your ailments will disappear. It's very comfortable."

The tender, white ginseng rootlet shyly waved its hand and said, "Mommy, Xixi doesn't smell bad, she smells very nice!"

This statement is absolutely true.

Once she reverted to her original form, Xi Xi was unable to suppress the aura emanating from her body; the pure scent of ginseng, like a broken perfume bottle, filled the entire house.

For a moment, Pei Yiyan and Meng Zhiyao both thought they were in a traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy, and that if they stayed for just two more seconds, the ingredients would be marinated to perfection.

If there are cats or dogs in the house, they might even be able to gain some spiritual intelligence.

Meng Zhi shook her head and thanked her dryly, "I feel fine now, thank you."

You're welcome, Mom!

The little ginseng danced happily.

Meng Zhiyao mentally prepared herself, held her breath, and whispered, "Are you really Xixi?"

"Of course it's me!" The slender ginseng tendrils waved their arms and legs excitedly. "Xixi is the only ginseng baby that came down from the mountain. There is no other ginseng baby here."

The little ginseng spirit's cheerful, adorable voice slowed down, a hint of confusion and jealousy in it: "Mommy, do you want to see the other ginseng babies?"

"No, no!"

One baby ginseng is already enough to make her ecstatic; having a few more would be too much.

Meng Zhiyao's grandfather is a native of Northeast China, where there is a custom of worshipping deities. When she was a child, she heard many fantastical stories from the old man.

Having been influenced by this environment from a young age, she was not a completely staunch materialist.

At this moment, she realized the situation before her: the three-year-old daughter she had just met was actually a ginseng spirit baby.

How amazing! After marveling at it, Meng Zhiyao readily and calmly accepted this incredible story.

With a curiosity to explore the unknown, she carefully extended her fingertips, hesitated for a moment, and gently pinched the white ginseng whiskers.

The ginseng tendrils swirled around her fingertips, the tips of their tails lingeringly brushing against the back of her hand.

Meng Zhiyao: Ah, so cute!

It looks exactly like the big golden retriever slippers that Cheng Xiaocen's family likes to lick her fingers.

The mother and daughter interacted warmly. Pei Yiyan didn't say a word, but suddenly stretched out his long arm, grabbed the ginseng root of the big white radish, lifted it up and down.

Meng Zhi shook her head: "???"

Caught off guard, the little ginseng spirit let out a short, sharp scream as it was suddenly launched into the air.

"Aaaaaah, Daddy, what are you doing?!"

Pei Yiyan ignored him, instead squinting and leaning closer, poking around with a finger as if searching for a switch.

*Pfft*

The little ginseng spirit in my hand trembled violently, swaying left and right to dodge: "Don't tickle me!"

Pei Yiyan looked serious, his face full of questions. Where was the voice system? Where were the eyes, nose, and mouth?

Why is it that the bald, radish-headed boy can have a back-and-forth conversation with them?

This is too bizarre, too unscientific.

Pei Yiyan was sweating profusely. Would his little cotton-padded jacket never turn back? Would he have to tell people that this big white radish was his daughter if they asked him about it in the future?

Pei Yiyan felt as if he had swallowed several pounds of cotton, his heart felt incredibly heavy.

"Hmm!"

"Stop shaking her, Xixi is going to throw up."

Two ginseng roots trembled and swung out, making two sharp cracks, leaving two red marks on the back of Pei Yiyan's hand.

Pei Yiyan frowned, and the ruthless iron hand loosened its grip.

“Xi Xi”.

Meng Zhiyao took Xixi from Pei Yiyan's hands: "Are you alright?"

Xi Xi was so dizzy from being shaken around that she saw stars and whimpered, "Why are there two moms and dads?"

The once vibrant ginseng baby has tragically turned into a wilted, droopy little vegetable.

Meng Zhi's voice was tinged with anxiety: "Do you feel nauseous? Can you turn back?"

She was worried that Pei Yiyan might be too rough and shake the little girl so badly she would get a concussion, so she rushed her to the hospital for a checkup.

As soon as she finished speaking, the smooth, white ginseng baby in her arms suddenly came to life.

The weight in his arms suddenly increased, and Pei Yiyan subconsciously helped him up.

Meng Zhi steadied herself and didn't lean back.

Xi Xi, now back to her three-year-old self, shook her head, glared with her big, dark eyes, and pointed angrily at Pei Yiyan:

"Mom, Dad is bullying Xixi!"

"Spank him and pull his ears!"

Meng Zhi shook her head: Oh, this.

Pei Yiyan lazily lifted his eyelids, his face full of smug confidence: "You think you can get away with anything just because you have a new backer? What are you thinking?"

Xi Xi pouted, turned her head and hummed very loudly: "Daddy got the benefit and is still acting innocent."

?

Pei Yiyan was utterly bewildered: "What advantage did I gain?"

“Every time Dad tries to coax Mom, he’s overjoyed. But then he stops paying attention to Xixi and leaves her outside to play while he goes back to his room to play, and she plays there for most of the day!”

When they came out, both of them were beaming. Dad's mouth was practically stretched to his ears. Mom scolded Dad for laughing so much that it was worthless, but Dad just laughed even harder.

You can tell at a glance that they were having a lot of fun.

Thinking of this, Xixi pouted so much her lips could hang a piece of pork: "Mom and Dad, can you please stop playing games behind Xixi's back and play with Xixi instead?"

The child had no idea how much of a storm his unintentional remark had stirred up, nor did he know why Meng Zhi blushed so deeply, wishing she could bury herself in his chest.

Pei Yiyan's temple twitched, his ears turned slightly pink, and he gritted his teeth and hissed:

"You big dummy, just stay put."

I'm just wasting my time thinking all day long. Looks like I need to find a school for the little one!

"I can't tell the truth yet," Xixi sighed sadly. "The adults are so domineering and unreasonable."

Even after his daughter reverted to her human form, Pei Yiyan still felt uneasy.

He tossed Xixi onto the sofa like a chick, then sat down opposite her with a stern expression, scrutinizing the child.

His cold, stern gaze was like that of a judge in the subway, inexplicably sending chills down one's spine.

Xi Xi shrank her neck, slowly moved to the side, and glanced at him with her little eyes: "Daddy, do you want Xi Xi's whiskers?"

She protected her head and hesitated, biting her lower lip.

She gave Meng Zhi a ginseng root because they hadn't recognized each other yet and couldn't see each other often, so she plucked a ginseng root for her as a talisman.

Pei Yiyan, having spent every day with her, had long been imbued with her spiritual energy; how could a single ginseng root compare to the power of the ginseng spirit itself?

That's why she couldn't bear to give Pei Yiyan a single ginseng root.

"Pshaw, who cares?"

Pei Yiyan didn't care at all. He leaned in and pinched Xixi's soft cheeks, examining them from all angles.

His brows furrowed deeper and deeper. He had only two eyes and a mouth, nothing special about him. How could he be a little monster?

"Are you really a white radish spirit?"

Xi Xi glared at him, angrily slapping his hand away: "Xi Xi is a ginseng baby who can cure diseases, not a big radish!"

I've said it so many times.

The little guy's chest heaved as he said, "Dad, you're hopeless. Your eyesight is even worse than Uncle Liu's."

If it weren't for the fact that he's her biological father, Xixi would definitely disown him.

Pei Yiyan: "You're a little monster, I'm a human, so why are you my daughter?"

He tried to recall if he had ever saved any small animals from childhood to adulthood. Years later, the small animals became spirits and drugged him without his knowledge.

But shouldn't there be reproductive isolation between humans and demons?

Besides, Xixi is ginseng, a plant. How could he have given birth to another little ginseng with a ginseng plant?

That's outrageous!

This script is riddled with bugs; Pei Yiyan's brain cells have practically died.

Just then, a bold idea flashed into his mind: could he actually be a demon?

Is he not human?

Pei Yiyan was startled by his own guess and broke out in a cold sweat.

Xi Xi's next answer perfectly confirmed his thoughts: "Because neither you nor your mother are human."

A thunderbolt struck, leaving the two of them stunned and their expressions on their faces.

Pei Yiyan remained silent for a long time, his face somber: "Am I also a white radish?"

Meng Zhi looked at him in surprise.

"Oh no, no, no."

Xixi slithered up onto Pei Yiyan's shoulder like an eel, scratching and rubbing his head with her little hands until she had her fill of affection before slowly saying:

"Dad, you are the thousand-year-old tree spirit that guards the mountains and forests, and Mom is the most beautiful woman in the demon realm, the Heartbreak Grass."

From Xixi's fragmented and disjointed narration, the two pieced together a rough and melodramatic fantasy story, and the protagonists of the story were their family of three.

Long, long ago, the mountain god who guarded Baicao Mountain left without cause, which caused a great uproar.

At that time, the tree spirit, who was the most powerful and gentlest in the mountains, took action to suppress the troublemakers in order to prevent more casualties and maintain peace in the mountains on its own.

The tree spirit's abilities and character were recognized by all the creatures of the mountains and forests, and it was naturally elected as the new guardian. From then on, the once thousand-year-old tree spirit grew into a tree spirit that protected the region.

Over a long period of time, the tree spirit met its beloved Heartbreak Grass, and they became husband and wife under the witness of the mountains and forests.

Because they cannot reproduce across species, they chose a fresh and tender ginseng to raise together.

The couple helped the little ginseng develop its intelligence, feeding it dew to nourish its soul; this is the origin of Xixi's background.

The family of three lived happily and harmoniously in Baicao Mountain for more than 300 years, but unexpectedly, a great fire broke out in the forest for unknown reasons.

That was no ordinary fire, but a spiritual fire capable of burning away all things in the world, even the soul.

In just half a day, the once beautiful and fertile Baicao Mountain, covered with spiritual plants, was burned into a black wasteland, with countless birds and beasts killed or injured, and cries of sorrow echoing everywhere.

To save his former companions from annihilation, the tree spirit burned its primal power to bring forth a torrential rain capable of extinguishing the spirit fire.

As the spiritual fire went out, his primordial power was also completely exhausted, leading to his death and the dissipation of his spiritual essence.

Meanwhile, the companion, Heartbreak Grass, did everything in its power to preserve a wisp of the Tree Spirit's soul. After completing his funeral arrangements, it resolutely followed the Tree Spirit in death.

Each of their two remaining souls entered the mortal realm, and after three lifetimes of reincarnation, they will return to their original positions.

Xi Xi was cared for by the surviving little demons as she cultivated and transformed into human form.

"Are you done talking?"

"Okay! That's all."

Xi Xi put her two chubby little feet on Pei Yiyan's shoulders and looked at the two of them with bright eyes: "Daddy, Mommy, do you have a lot to say to Xi Xi?"

Meng Zhiyao and Pei Yiyan exchanged a quick glance.

Meng Zhi brushed a stray hair behind her ear and smiled reservedly: "I have a small question, may I ask it?"

"Mom, don't worry, just ask. It's okay."

Meng Zhi awkwardly scratched her hands.

She had read a story about ginseng babies in a storybook, which described ginseng babies as always having bare bottoms and little feet, a small red dot between their eyebrows, and running all over the mountains wearing red bibs.

She hadn't seen what Xixi looked like on her first day down the mountain, so she was very curious whether she was wearing a little red bib.

"Being naked is shameful, and my bottom will get bitten, it hurts so much! Xixi won't wear a red bib!"

Even ginseng babies have their pride.

Meng Zhiyao couldn't help but be surprised; even little monsters are afraid of being bitten by mosquitoes.

Xi Xi ruffled Pei Yiyan's hair: "Dad, is there anything you want to ask?"

Pei Yiyan hissed and ordered sternly, "Get down."

She's determined to turn him into a bald man; his neck is about to break from being crushed by this little girl.

Xixi got down but not completely, clinging to his waist and acting spoiled.

Looking at her carefree and mischievous appearance, Pei Yiyan thought to himself with a hint of mockery, "This isn't a ginseng spirit, it's a monkey spirit."

"Come down, I have something to ask you." Pei Yiyan lowered his eyes and said seriously, "Did you cure my rhinitis?"

On the first night the child arrived, she touched his nose and performed some mystical rituals, and afterwards his rhinitis inexplicably disappeared.

At the time, he didn't think of anything else, but now it seems the child wasn't lying and really was helping him get better.

"Yes, yes, who else but Xixi has such great abilities?" Xixi proudly wagged her little tail as she talked about her good deeds. "Praise me!"

"Did you also fix Liu Yang's nearsightedness and the tumor in Yang Sen's brain?"

"Oh! And Xixi also knocked out Little Fatty's front teeth."

Pei Yiyan's expression turned somewhat unpleasant: "Really? You're not lying to me?"

Xi Xi puffed out her cheeks: "Of course not, the little monster doesn't lie."

Meng Zhiyao gleaned some unusual and significant information from the father and daughter's conversation. After a moment's thought, her relaxed expression immediately tightened.

The atmosphere became heavy before Xixi realized the seriousness of the problem.

Pei Yiyan: "From now on, don't treat people casually. Never reveal your healing abilities. Apart from me and your mother, don't let anyone else know that you are a ginseng spirit. Do you understand?"

The ginseng baby, born and raised deep in the mountains, has never experienced the wickedness of human nature and only knows how to help others.

Xi Xi, who was only focused on one thing, asked in a daze, "Why, Dad? You said before that Xi Xi could accumulate merit by healing people, and improve her cultivation and magical power. That's a wonderful thing."

Pei Yiyan felt disgusted with that tree spirit father, who only cared about letting the children know the beauty and goodness of the world, but did not do any safety education. He was an ancient relic who had lived for thousands of years, only increasing his cultivation but not his brain.

Pei Yiyan threatened in a sinister tone: "If others knew you were a ginseng baby who could cure diseases, they would capture you and study you by slicing you up. Do you know what slicing is? It means cutting you into pieces, like the sashimi at the Japanese restaurant we took you to before. Do you want to become a ginseng slice?"

Human, ginseng slices

Xi Xi hugged her chubby self tightly, ahhhhh she didn't want to turn into pieces!

Little Piggy was so frightened that she revealed her true form, her two long ginseng roots trembling like waves: "Woo."

Seeing this, Meng Zhiyao quickly patted her back, stroked her beard, and kept comforting her.

Pei Yiyan knew when to stop, and changed his tone to be calm and collected: "With such a small amount of courage, you think you can treat people? Just arrest you and dissect you, then you'll behave."

Tears welled up in Xixi's eyes, her little fists clenched tightly, and she choked out, "Xixi, Xixi, don't be afraid."

She was both timid and brave: "Xixi must work hard to accumulate merit to help her mother get better!"

She could accept a small cut for her mother's sake.

Waaaaah, she'll hold back her tears.

Upon hearing Little Ginseng's words, Pei Yiyan and Meng Zhiyao were both taken aback, and Meng Zhiyao unconsciously hugged the little girl in her arms tighter.

Oh no, my eyes are about to pee.

What a good baby.

From the moment that DNA test report came out, things started to go mad, galloping off the path of science. Pei Yiyan silently emptied his mind.

He wiped his face and sighed silently.

Is ginseng considered a nationally protected animal?

That's great, not only is he going to be a dad, but he might also end up in jail.