Public hospitals require a medical insurance card or ID for registration. Berry, a blacklisted individual who had crossed over from another world, had neither, so Feng Ci had no choice but to take her to the private hospital founded by his family for a checkup.
The results came back showing that aside from mild anemia and malnutrition, Berry was in perfect health—a sturdy little calf.
"Logically speaking, children her age shouldn't be in this condition," the doctor remarked, scribbling swiftly with his pen before glancing up inquisitively. "This child isn't from your family, is she?"
The Feng family was an old, well-established wealthy clan, and every child in the family was treasured. How could they possibly raise a malnourished little sprout?
"She’s a poor child from the mountains," Feng Ci replied without batting an eye, fabricating the story. "We just started sponsoring her. Stop asking questions and prescribe the medicine."
If the young doctor hadn’t known Feng Ci well enough to be certain he wouldn’t engage in human trafficking, the police would already be on their way.
"Make sure she takes the calcium tablets on time. Besides that, she should eat more meat, vegetables, and fruits, get plenty of sunlight, and rest well. Her condition will improve significantly."
"Got it."
Feng Ci picked up the prescription and stood up, but the doctor spoke again: "Xiao Ci, try to find time to go home and spend more time with your aunt and uncle. They miss you a lot."
The tall, solitary figure of the young man paused for a moment before he continued walking away without looking back.
Feng Ci carried a bag of calcium tablets and oral solutions in his left hand, while his right hand held Berry, who was swimming through the air like a frog.
Since Berry couldn’t use medical insurance, everything had to be paid out of pocket, and Feng Ci’s wallet shrank yet again.
By the time they left the hospital, the sky was once again painted with a brilliant red sunset. Berry clung to Feng Ci’s shoulder, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, her nose red from crying.
The full-body checkup had been tedious and lengthy. Faced with cold, modern medical instruments, Berry clenched her little fists without uttering a sound, and she even held back her tears when they drew blood with a needle.
But when a pretty nurse gave her a supplementary vaccine, the slender needle sprayed the injection fluid with a soft pfft before piercing the tender flesh of her arm. The sudden sting was too much for the little witch to bear, and she pursed her lips, crying softly.
Berry’s tears fell in large drops, but her sobs were as faint as a mosquito’s hum.
Thinking something might be wrong with her throat, Feng Ci asked her to open her mouth wide so he could check her tonsils.
Berry, tears and snot streaming down her face, pounded on him but managed to say, "Crying loudly would disturb others’ ears. I won’t be an impolite little witch."
"…So you chose to suffocate yourself instead?" Feng Ci pressed the little one firmly against his chest. "Alright, now you can cry as loudly as you want without bothering anyone. Go ahead."
"Waa, moo-moo—"
Five minutes later, Feng Ci shifted the child in his arms. "Feeling better now?"
Berry sniffled weakly. "No, I’m hungry."
"Let’s go eat then." Now that he thought about it, neither of them had eaten much today. Berry had drunk a pot of her own dark concoction for lunch and eaten a few Scarletberry relatives, while Feng Ci had only managed to snatch a few bites before it was gone.
The hungry pair, one big and one small, headed straight for a barbecue restaurant.
The doctor’s instructions had emphasized that Berry needed to eat meat, eggs, and dairy, so taking her for barbecue was undoubtedly the wisest choice.
The wide variety of dishes left the little witch, who was used to having no more than two dishes per meal, utterly dazzled. She even forgot to swing her little feet, her eyes fixed intently on the pictures on the menu.
Feng Ci was at that age where his appetite could rival a bull's. As soon as he entered the restaurant, barely settling into his seat, he ordered a meal set for four.
The waiter laid out clean bowls and chopsticks. Berry fidgeted, picking up the chopsticks and waving them around, occasionally tapping them against the bowl to hear the sound.
Feng Ci shot her a glance. "Put those down. Stop messing around."
"Okay, okay."
Feng Ci added, "In public places, you shouldn't make noise. That includes keeping your voice down to avoid disturbing others."
The elegant little witch, afraid of being impolite, covered her mouth and nodded eagerly like a pecking chick.
Soon, all the dishes were served. Feng Ci rolled up his sleeves and got busy. He had eaten barbecue countless times, but this was his first time serving someone else.
While multitasking, he grilled the meat with his head down, silently grumbling to himself, yet his pace of serving Berry never slowed.
Bacon and chicken sizzled on the grill, dripping with hot oil. Berry imitated Feng Ci, placing a piece of chicken onto a fresh green lettuce leaf. She pinched the edges with her small hands, wrapping it into a spring roll shape, then opened her mouth wide and took a bite—
The chicken remained unscathed, while the lettuce suffered a minor injury.
Undeterred, the child continued to chew with her mouth wide open, her cheeks puffing in and out. It took considerable effort just to finish one lettuce wrap.
After grilling for so long, Feng Ci hadn’t eaten much himself. His arms were growing sore from the effort, and his patience was wearing thin.
"Don’t just wait for me to serve you. Try doing it yourself," he said, twisting his neck to relieve the tension in his shoulders as he commanded her. "Pick up your chopsticks."
Berry pointed a chubby finger at the thin sticks she had used earlier to tap the bowl and asked cautiously, "Are these them?"
"Yes."
Only after receiving Feng Ci’s confirmation did Berry dare to pick them up again.
She recalled how Feng Ci used the chopsticks and tried to grip them between her fingers. Unfortunately, the child’s bones were still soft, and she either held them in a T-shape or in a fist-like grip—neither elegant nor effective.
The little witch, skilled in brewing various Magic Potions, felt strangely unfamiliar with her own hands for the first time. Oh, cheesy bacon—her hands had turned clumsy.
As the pile of grilled meat in her bowl grew larger while she remained unable to eat it, Berry grew as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
Feng Ci lowered his head, a smirk playing on his lips, taking pleasure in her struggle.
A restaurant waiter noticed the situation and promptly brought over a new set of utensils. The handsome young man bent down and said kindly, "Little one, a fork might be easier for you. Here, use this."
This timely assistance was exactly what she needed.
Berry accepted it gratefully. "Thank you. You’re a very kind person. The little witch blesses you."
Unaccustomed to such a sweet-talking child, the handsome waiter smiled warmly. "Thank you. I bless you too."
"Even though your blessing is useless, you’re a kind Muggle. The little witch doesn’t mind."
Feng Ci’s secondhand embarrassment flared up. "Keep it down."
Berry looked at him with wide eyes. "Little Ci, please be quiet for now."
Feng Ci: …??
The two emerged from the restaurant, their clothes carrying the lingering scent of barbecue. The night in City A was aglow with neon lights, and the towering buildings shone brightly.
Berry climbed onto the back seat of the electric scooter, clutching Feng Ci’s shirt with both hands. She turned her head to watch the stream of cars on the road, her expression filled with boundless longing. "Why can’t we ride in a car with four wheels?"
Feng Ci glanced back. "Are you saying my two-wheeled ride isn’t good enough for you?"
Berry lifted her little face and patted his back reassuringly. "Little Ci, don’t think like that. You’re already doing great."
Feng Ci gritted his teeth, lifting her by the collar of her shirt until they were face to face. "I told you, don't call me Xiao Ci. Be good and call me Brother Feng."
Berry kicked her short little legs. "Xiao Ci sounds better than Brother Feng. It's cute and suits you."
Cute?
Feng Ci suppressed a shudder and scowled. "Do as I say, don't improvise."
Berry blinked. "But Xiao Ci can bring you good luck."
"Pfft, I don't need it."
"Alright then."
Feng Ci swung his long leg over the seat, and the little blue electric scooter zipped off into the distance.
Ten minutes later, the two of them got off the scooter, and Feng Ci stood sheepishly beside the man in the fluorescent uniform.
"No helmet, fifty yuan fine. Speeding, another fifty. Total of one hundred. Scan here to pay."
The traffic officer briskly wrote out the ticket, his sharp gaze never leaving Feng Ci's face. "Driving recklessly with such a young child—if anything happened, you'd regret it for the rest of your life. Traffic safety isn't a game. You're not a kid anymore, you should know better."
Feng Ci awkwardly rubbed the tip of his nose.
He had always taken back alleys and had never been caught by traffic police before. He had no idea what happened today—how the officer managed to hide in a narrow lane to catch people… Even if they were trying to meet year-end quotas, this was ridiculous.
Truly, when luck runs out, even drinking cold water feels like choking.
The traffic officer eyed Feng Ci suspiciously. "Are you even an adult? Show me your ID."
"I don't have it with me."
"Then I suppose you don't remember your ID number either?"
"Nope, don't remember."
The officer smirked knowingly. "Give me your parent's phone number. I saw you have a phone in your pocket."
Feng Ci: …